JP2005294488A - Nozzle device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a nozzle device capable of discharging a supplied treatment fluid as a continuous liquid film having a uniform film thickness even in the case of the supplied treatment fluid at a small flow rate. <P>SOLUTION: The nozzle device has a nozzle body 20 with a flow path formed of a through-hole 23 in which the treatment fluid flows, and a slit-like discharge opening 24 made to communicate with the through-hole 23. The sectional area of the flow path formed of the through-hole 23 and the discharge opening 24 is reduced by the discharge opening 24, and the treatment fluid flowing into the through-hole 23 is discharged towards a treated object from the discharge opening 24. The front end of the nozzle body 20 is formed in a spherical projecting curved surface projected to the outside, and the surface widths of two internal surfaces (21d and 22d) along the mutually opposite longitudinal directions are formed uniformly along the longitudinal direction in the discharge opening 24. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a nozzle device including a nozzle body for discharging various processing fluids such as a developing solution, an etching solution, and a cleaning solution toward various processing objects such as a substrate.

  The substrate manufacturing process includes various processes in which various processing fluids are appropriately discharged from the nozzle body toward the substrate and the substrate is processed with the processing fluid. For example, in the development process, a resist film (photosensitive resin) is applied on a substrate, a resist film in a predetermined region is exposed using an exposure mask, and then a developing solution is applied on the resist film to form a photosensitive portion. Alternatively, the resist in the unexposed area is removed from the substrate.

  As a nozzle body for discharging the developer, those shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are conventionally known (see JP-A-2003-190840). As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the nozzle body 50 is formed in a triangular shape with a hem extending, and the lower end portion is a triangular base portion.

  The nozzle body 50 includes a slit-like discharge port 52 formed at the lower end portion thereof, a supply port 53 formed at the upper end portion thereof, and a flow hole 54 connecting the discharge port 52 and the supply port 53. The discharge port 52 includes a flow channel 51, and the longitudinal direction of the discharge port 52 is formed along the base of the triangle. The flow hole 54 has a linear length in the direction along the width direction of the discharge port 52. The discharge port 52 is formed so as to gradually decrease, and the length in the direction along the longitudinal direction of the discharge port 52 is gradually increased in a curved manner. The supply port 53 is connected to a supply pipe (not shown) from a developer supply device (not shown) for supplying the developer.

  In the nozzle body 50 configured as described above, the developer supplied from the developer supply device (not shown) to the supply port 53 circulates in the flow hole 54 and then as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. From the discharge port 52, it is discharged in the form of a fan and a film in a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction. At this time, the substrate K is disposed below the nozzle body 50 and is appropriately horizontally rotated by a turntable, or is appropriately reciprocated in a horizontal direction parallel to the width direction of the discharge port 52 by a transport roller.

  When a developing solution is supplied onto the substrate, the exposed or unexposed resist film is removed from the substrate by a chemical reaction between the developing solution and the resist film.

JP 2003-190840 A

  By the way, in order to perform the developing process uniformly and efficiently over the entire area of the substrate, the developer discharged from the nozzle body 50 in the form of a fan and a film is continuously continuous without interruption in all the discharge directions. Moreover, it must be uniformly supplied onto the substrate so as to have a constant film thickness.

  However, in the conventional nozzle body 50, since the developer flowing through the flow channel 51 has a large area in contact with the wall surface of the flow channel 51, the friction between the wall surface and the shape accuracy of the wall surface (surface The flow becomes unstable due to roughness (unevenness), the film thickness of the developer discharged from the nozzle body 50 is not constant, and the liquid film is partially interrupted (reference numeral 55 in FIG. 9). Therefore, the developer supplied on the substrate has to be non-uniform.

  In addition, since the developer is likely to react with carbon dioxide in the air, when this is intermittently discharged from the nozzle body 50, the developer is easily mixed with air and easily causes a chemical reaction with the carbon dioxide in the air. For this reason, there is also a problem that the ratio of the developer that chemically reacts with the resist film on the substrate is reduced.

  In order to solve such a problem, it is sufficient to supply a large amount of developer onto the substrate. However, when a large amount of developer is supplied in this way, a lot of developer is wasted, and the processing cost is increased. In addition, another problem arises that the tank for storing the developer becomes larger and the apparatus becomes larger. In addition, there is a problem that the resist film is damaged.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a nozzle device capable of discharging a supplied processing fluid as a continuous liquid film having a uniform film thickness even when the flow rate of the processing fluid supplied is small. For that purpose.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
It has a flow hole through which a processing fluid supplied from the outside flows, and a slit-like discharge hole communicating with the flow hole, and the discharge hole is formed at the distal end and formed by the flow hole and the discharge hole. And a nozzle device comprising a nozzle body that discharges the processing fluid that has flowed into the flow hole from the discharge hole toward the object to be processed. ,
The tip is formed in a spherical convex curved surface protruding outward,
The discharge holes are related to a nozzle device in which the surface widths of two inner surfaces along the longitudinal direction facing each other are uniformly formed along the longitudinal direction.

  According to the present invention, the processing fluid is supplied from the outside into the flow hole of the nozzle body, and the supplied processing fluid flows through the flow hole and then toward the object to be processed from the discharge hole to the longitudinal direction thereof. It is ejected in the form of a fan and a film within a parallel plane.

  At that time, as described above, the tip of the nozzle body is formed in a spherical convex curved surface, and the discharge holes are formed so that the surface widths of the two inner surfaces along the longitudinal direction facing each other are uniform along the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the processing fluid passes through the discharge hole, the resistance received from each of the inner surfaces of the discharge hole can be made uniform, thereby making it possible to stabilize the discharge flow. The processing fluid can be discharged as a continuous liquid film having a uniform film thickness. The surface width of each inner surface is preferably within an error of ± 50% with respect to a predetermined dimension.

  By the way, in the field of fluid dynamics, when fluid flows from the first flow pipe side having a larger inner diameter to the second flow pipe side having a smaller inner diameter, the root portion of the second flow pipe with the first flow pipe is formed. It is known that in the vicinity, after the virtual outer diameter of the fluid once becomes smaller (shrinks) than the inner diameter of the second flow pipe, a phenomenon occurs that becomes equal to the inner diameter of the second flow pipe. That is, when the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the fluid flow direction changes from the state equal to the cross-sectional area of the first flow pipe to the state equal to the cross-sectional area of the second flow pipe, the cross-sectional area of the second flow pipe is once. It becomes smaller than. At this time, the fluid has an increased flow velocity and is not in contact with the inner surface of the second flow pipe.

  Therefore, if the surface width of the inner surface of the discharge hole is 0.2 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less, the processing fluid can be discharged from the discharge hole in a contracted state, and the processing fluid can be discharged from each inner surface of the discharge hole. It is possible to stabilize the flow by minimizing the resistance received, and to increase the discharge speed of the processing fluid so that the processing fluid can be discharged in the form of a wider-angle fan.

  Here, the surface width is set to 0.2 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less. If the surface width is smaller than 0.2 mm, the thickness of the tip of the nozzle body becomes too thin and the strength is insufficient, and the opening shape of the discharge hole is reduced. On the other hand, if it is larger than 0.5 mm, the processing fluid moves from the contracted state to the expanded diameter state in the discharge hole, the processing fluid contacts the inner surface of the discharge hole, and the discharge flow is disturbed. This is because the flow may be discontinuous.

  Further, the flow hole has an arc-shaped recess formed along the discharge hole at the boundary with the discharge hole, and the surface width of the inner surface of the discharge hole is uniformly formed by the recess. May be.

  The nozzle body is composed of two members divided along the plane parallel to the inner surface of the discharge hole portion, and the two divided members are integrated as the nozzle body by a holding means. It may be a configuration held in

  In this way, each of the divided members can be processed as discharge holes and combined into a single nozzle body after processing, so that the processing can be easily performed. Further, it is possible to perform processing that does not cause burrs at the edge of the discharge hole. If burrs are present at the edge of the discharge hole, the discharge flow is disturbed. However, by performing processing that does not cause burrs, it is possible to prevent the discharge flow from being disturbed.

  In addition, examples of the processing object in the present invention include a substrate, and examples of the processing fluid include a developer, an etching solution, and a cleaning solution, but are not limited thereto. is not.

  As described above, according to the nozzle device of the present invention, the tip of the nozzle body is formed into a spherical convex curved surface, and the surface width of the two inner surfaces along the longitudinal direction in which the discharge holes are opposed to each other is the longitudinal length. For example, even if the flow rate of the processing fluid supplied to the nozzle body is about 0.3 to 2 l / min and the pressure is about 10 to 100 kPa. Can be discharged in a fan shape as a continuous liquid film having a uniform film thickness. Thereby, a process target object can be processed efficiently uniformly, over the whole region.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view partially showing a schematic configuration of a nozzle device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the nozzle device 1 of this example includes an adapter 10 that is appropriately attached to a pipe (not shown), a nozzle body 20 provided at the distal end portion of the adapter 10, and a distal end portion of the adapter 10. The cap 12 is engaged to attach the nozzle body 20 to the adapter 10 via the sleeve 11.

  In this example, the nozzle device 1 is described as ejecting the developer toward the substrate, but the treatment liquid to be ejected is not limited to this. Further, the processing object is not limited to the substrate.

  The adapter 10 is composed of a cylindrical member having a flange portion 10a at the center in the longitudinal direction. The adapter 10 is opened at the tip of the adapter 10 and communicates with the mounting hole 10b. In addition, a flow hole 10c that opens to the rear end portion and through which the developer flows, a first screw groove 10d formed on the outer peripheral surface of the front end portion, and a second screw groove 10e formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rear end portion. I have. Then, the second screw groove 10e is screwed into the pipe (not shown) connected to a developer supply device (not shown) for supplying the developer, and the adapter 10 (nozzle device 1) is connected to the pipe. (Not shown). The mounting hole 10b is formed to have a larger diameter than the flow hole 10c.

  The sleeve 11 is composed of an annular member, and the nozzle body 20 is inserted into the through hole 11a at the center. Further, the front end surface and the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 11 are in contact with the inner surface of the cap 12, and the rear end surface is in contact with the front end surface of the adapter 10 and the front end surface of the flange 20 a of the nozzle body 20.

  The cap 12 is provided with a recess 12a having an opening at the rear end surface and a thread groove 12b formed on the inner peripheral surface, and a through hole 12c opening at the front end surface and the bottom surface of the recess 12a, and the sleeve 11 is in the recess 12a. The thread groove 12b is screwed into the first thread groove 10d of the adapter 10 in the state of being accommodated in the housing.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the nozzle body 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape in which a tip end portion is formed in a convex spherical shape and a collar portion 20a is formed in an outer peripheral surface of a rear end portion. The first member 21 and the second member 22 are divided into two members along a plane including the axis. 3 is a front sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the nozzle body 20 according to the present embodiment, FIG. 4 is a sectional view in the direction of arrow BB in FIG. 3, and FIG. 3 is a side view in the direction of arrow C in FIG.

  The first member 21 and the second member 22 are each formed in the same shape, and have a certain thickness from the outer surface, and a first recess formed so as to open to the divided surfaces 21a and 22a and the rear end surface. 21b, 22b, and the second concave portions 21c, 22c opened in an arc shape on the split surfaces 21a, 22a and the outer surface side of the convex spherical surface to the second concave portions 21c, 22c side so as to reduce the thickness at the tip portion. Step portions 21d and 22d are provided at the tip so as to be one step lower than the surfaces 21a and 22a.

  The second recesses 21c and 22c are formed in a concave curved surface, and an arc L that is a boundary line between the second recesses 21c and 22c and the stepped portions 21d and 22d is orthogonal to the dividing surfaces 21a and 22a. It is formed so as to have a central axis passing through the spherical center of the convex spherical surface, and the surface width W of the step portions 21d, 22d is uniformly formed along the convex spherical surface with a predetermined dimension.

  The height h of the stepped portions 21d and 22d is set according to the opening width H of the discharge hole 24 described later, and the opening width H is set to about 0.15 mm to 0.5 mm, for example. Further, the surface width W of the step portions 21d and 22d is set to about 0.3 mm, for example, but the surface width W and the opening width H satisfy the relationship of W / H ≦ 2.5. preferable. The uniformity of the surface width W is preferably within an error of about ± 50% with respect to a predetermined dimension (in this example, within about ± 0.15 mm).

  Then, when the divided surfaces 21a and 22a of the first member 21 and the second member 22 are brought into contact with each other and inserted into the sleeve 11 and integrally combined as the nozzle body 20, the first recesses 21b and 22b, the second A flow path through which the developer flows is formed by the recesses 21c and 22c and the stepped portions 21d and 22d, and the first recesses 21b and 22b and the second recesses 21c and 22c serve as flow holes 23 for flowing the developer. The portions 21d and 22d function as slit-like discharge holes 24 for discharging the developer. Further, the cross-sectional area of the flow path is reduced by the discharge holes 24.

  The nozzle body 20 has a flange 20a inserted into the mounting hole 10b of the adapter 10, the flow hole 23 and the flow hole 10c communicate with each other, and the tip (convex spherical surface) of the cap 12 In a state of protruding from the front end surface, the cap 12 is attached to the adapter 10 via the sleeve 11.

  According to the nozzle device 1 of the present example configured as described above, the developer is supplied into the flow hole 10c of the adapter 10 from a developer supply device (not shown) via a pipe (not shown). The supplied developer flows through the flow holes 10c and the flow holes 23 of the nozzle body 20 along the flow holes 10c and 23, and then is directed toward the substrate from the discharge holes 24 in a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof. Is discharged in a fan shape and in a thin film shape.

Meanwhile, in the field of fluid dynamics, as shown in FIG. 6, when the fluid from the inner diameter d ₁ is larger first flow pipe 30 side to the inner diameter d ₂ is smaller second circulation pipe 31 side than this flows, the In the vicinity of the root of the second flow pipe 31 with the first flow pipe 30, the virtual outer diameter d ₃ of the fluid once becomes smaller (shrinks) than the inner diameter d ₂ of the second flow pipe 31, and then the second flow. it is known to produce phenomenon becomes equal to the inner diameter d ₂ of the tube 31. That is, when the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow direction of the fluid changes from the state equal to the cross-sectional area of the first flow pipe 30 to the state equal to the cross-sectional area of the second flow pipe 31, the second flow pipe 31 once. It is smaller than the cross-sectional area. At this time, the flow rate of the fluid increases, and the fluid is not in contact with the inner surface of the second flow pipe 31.

  Therefore, in the nozzle device 1 of the present example, as described above, the tip end portion of the nozzle body 20 is formed into a convex spherical surface, and the surface width W of the stepped portions 21d and 22d constituting the discharge hole 24 is set to about 0.3 mm. This was configured to be uniformly formed along the convex spherical surface. As a result, the developer is discharged from the discharge hole 24 in a contracted state. For example, even if the flow rate of the developer is about 0.3 to 2 l / min and the pressure is about 10 to 100 kPa, the developer is uniform. A liquid film having a continuous film thickness is ejected in a fan shape, and the substrate can be efficiently processed without unevenness over the entire area.

  Further, since the developer is continuously discharged without interruption, it is difficult for the discharged developer to mix with air, and it can be effectively prevented from reacting with carbon dioxide in the air. Can also increase the processing efficiency.

  Further, in the nozzle device 1 of the present example, the second recesses 21c and 22c are formed so as to reduce the thickness at the respective distal end portions of the first member 21 and the second member 22, so that the nozzle body 20 Only the thickness near the tip can be reduced, and the surface width W of the stepped portions 21d and 22d can be easily made uniform.

  Further, in the nozzle device 1 of this example, the nozzle body 20 is composed of two members, so that the processing of the first recesses 21b and 22b, the second recesses 21c and 22c, and the stepped portions 21d and 22d, and the disorder of the discharge flow are performed. It is possible to easily perform processing that does not cause burrs that cause the above-described problem.

  As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, the specific aspect which this invention can take is not limited to this at all.

  In the above example, the surface width W of the stepped portions 21d and 22d is set to about 0.3 mm. However, the present invention is not limited to this and may be in the range of 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm. Here, the surface width W is set to 0.2 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less. If the surface width W is smaller than 0.2 mm, the thickness of the tip of the nozzle body 20 becomes too thin and the strength becomes insufficient. This is because the shape of the opening may be deformed. On the other hand, if the opening is larger than 0.5 mm, the developer shifts from the contracted state to the expanded diameter state in the discharge hole 24, and the developer moves to the inner surface (stepped portion) of the discharge hole 24. 21d, 22d) and the discharge flow is disturbed, and the flow may be discontinuous. However, as described above, the surface width W and the opening width H preferably satisfy the relationship of W / H ≦ 2.5.

It is the front view which showed the schematic structure of the nozzle apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention in a partial cross section. It is a side view of the arrow A direction in FIG. It is the front sectional view showing the schematic structure of the nozzle body concerning this embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the arrow BB direction in FIG. It is a side view of the arrow C direction in FIG. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating contraction of the developing solution which distribute | circulates the inside of a pipe | tube. It is a front sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a nozzle body according to a conventional example. It is sectional drawing of the arrow DD direction in FIG. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the discharge state of a developing solution. It is a side view of the arrow E direction in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Nozzle apparatus 10 Adapter 11 Sleeve 12 Cap 20 Nozzle body 21 1st member 22 2nd member 23 Flow hole 24 Discharge hole 21a, 22a Split surface 21b, 22b 1st recessed part 21c, 22c 2nd recessed part 21d, 22d Step part (inner surface) )

Claims (4)

It has a flow hole through which a processing fluid supplied from the outside flows, and a slit-like discharge hole communicating with the flow hole, and the discharge hole is formed at the distal end and formed by the flow hole and the discharge hole. And a nozzle device comprising a nozzle body that discharges the processing fluid that has flowed into the flow hole from the discharge hole toward the object to be processed. ,
The tip is formed in a spherical convex curved surface protruding outward,
2. The nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge holes are formed such that the surface widths of two inner surfaces along the longitudinal direction facing each other are uniformly formed along the longitudinal direction.   The nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein a surface width of the inner surface of the discharge hole is 0.2 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less.   The flow hole includes an arc-shaped recess along the discharge hole at a boundary portion with the discharge hole, and a surface width of the inner surface of the discharge hole is uniformly formed by the recess. The nozzle device according to 1 or 2. The nozzle body is composed of two members divided along the plane parallel to the inner surface of the discharge hole portion,
4. The nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the two divided members are integrally held as the nozzle body by a holding means.

Images